It has been revealed that the people of Parramatta and the Olympic Peninsula will have to wait an extra five years before Stage 2 of the Parramatta Light Rail is delivered, after the government finally released the Environmental Impact Statement for the project today.
 
Residents of growing communities like Wentworth Point, Camellia and Melrose Park will have to wait an extra five years for a new transport service even though hundreds of new dwellings have been approved across the precinct.

Former Transport Minister Andrew Constance first announced Stage 2 in 2017, then re-announced in 2019, and construction was supposed to start in 2020. But this Government failed to progress an EIS until November 2022, more than five years after it was first announced.

The funding for the EIS which was released today was only provided following a public outcry caused by the former Minister’s removal of the project from the budget.

This project needs to happen. There is an extra 140,000 people expected to move in to the Parramatta area in the next 20 years.

People have already moved into the area, making life changing decisions based on the promise of future infrastructure.

Shadow Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

“The government has let down growing communities like Wentworth Point, Camellia and Melrose Park who were first promised stage 2 in 2017.”
 
“Now they will be waiting until 2031 before they get a transport service even though they will be getting massive population growth.”
 
“It’s the same story from this Government. Big promises and announcements, but the people who actually need the transport services are left with broken promises and massive delays.”

JO HAYLEN MP
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT